Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has described Keir Starmer as “a terrible Prime Minister” following his resignation as Labour leader and Prime Minister.
Starmer announced his resignation on Monday after less than two years in office, saying he would step down as Labour leader while remaining prime minister until a successor is elected.
Reacting in a post on X, Badenoch blamed Starmer’s administration for what she described as a series of policy failures, insisting Britain was “not ungovernable.”
She accused the Labour government of increasing National Insurance contributions, introducing what she called the “Family Farm Tax,” abandoning meaningful welfare reforms, underfunding defence, failing to expand domestic oil and gas production, and appointing Peter Mandelson before allegedly misleading the public about the circumstances.
“Hiking national insurance. The Family Farm Tax. Giving up on real welfare reform. Not funding our defence. Not drilling our own oil and gas. Appointing Peter Mandelson… then lying about what had happened.
“Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible prime minister,” she wrote.
The Conservative leader argued that the problem extended beyond Starmer, accusing Labour lawmakers of prioritising higher taxes to fund increased welfare spending.
“But the problem isn’t just Starmer. Labour MPs only want higher taxes to hand out more benefits, as the Welfare Secretary has pointed out. These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party,” Badenoch added.
She called for a return to Conservative leadership, saying, “We need to get Britain working again. We need the Conservatives.”
In his resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street, the outgoing prime minister said every decision he took had been motivated by putting Britain first and pledged to remain in office until Labour elects a new leader.
